Surprise, surprise, another purported iPhone 5 component was leaked over the weekend. Late last night, an assembled front panel with Home button and FaceTime camera surfaced on the web.

But unlike the claimed parts we’ve been seeing as of late, this one might actually give us some worth-while insight. It houses an unknown square sensor, which some folks believe to be an NFC chip…

Apple.pro points to the photos, which were recently posted on a Photobucket account. As aforementioned, the part in the pics is of, what is said to be, an assembled front panel from the next-gen iPhone.

On the inside of the front panel, there’s a small square chip to the right of the FaceTime camera. And according to the often-accurate Macotakara, it’s a Near Field Communications sensor:

“I found a part which is considered as NFC sensor is assembled on this LCD part photo. Considering past leaked new iPhone photos which are reported by iLab Factory or other reporters, a hole is pitted beside iSight camera and new expanded flex-cable, which are connected volume button, reaches where this hole palaces. This meant some sensor should be assembled on side of iSight camera, and it was cleared now. NFC sensor is it.”

Combine this with the slew of Apple’s recently awarded patents, Passbook, and its AuthenTec acquisition, and things start to get interesting. For more on that, read Jim’s ‘Making the case for an NFC-enabled iPhone 5‘ from this morning. The post lays out a great case for why we could see it this year.

But will it actually materialize? That’s one thing, perhaps, we’ll have to wait until next month to find out.